Recessed spot-light fixture



June 1961 J. c. SPRINGER RECESSED SPOT-LIGHT FIXTURE Filed Aug. 16, 1960 INVENTOR.

4rmemsgs States Unite I The present invention relates in general to recessed lighting fixtures of the character which are adapted to direct light upon a limited area, and relates more particularly to specific means and arrangements for supporting a socket and associated light confining means at the downward opening of a recessed lighting fixture whereby the light rays therefrom may be directed upon any predetermined area within a substantial range of potential coverage.

Lighting devices of this general character are presently available and have been used in new building construction for specific applications, such as: window display lighting, spotlighting bank and store safes, illuminating aisle entrances in theatre lobbies, and the like.

However, all such devices which I have found in the prior art and those in public use which have come within the scope of my observation appear to be unnecessarily complicated and heavily constructed, and in general require prior provision for their installation, including special framing and transverse reinforcement and plaster stops.

My present invention has been made with the foregoing considerations 'in mind and may be said to have a plurality of important objectives.

One important object of my present invention is the provision of a recessed spotlighting fixture which may be installed in existing structures with no structural modifications other than the provision of an aperture in the ceiling or wall of the proper size.

A further important object of the present invention is the provision of a device of the character described which has means by which it may be secured within a wall or ceiling aperture without the use of special tools or fasteners.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a device of the'character described which is so arranged that the entire installation, including electrical connections thereto, may be completed with no access to the space behind the fixture other than through the aperture in which the fixture is installed.

An additional object of my invention is the provision of a recessed fixture of the character described which is provided with integral attachment and plastering guide means which make the fixture suitable for installation in the conventional manner at the time of erecting the building. 7 V

A still further object of my invention is the provision of a fixture of the character described which is provided with a readily adjustable spheroidal light directing and lamp supporting element which is angularly adjustable in any direction within a substantial range relative to the face plate.

And a further additional object of the invention is the provision of a fixture of the particular type described that is light in weight and inexpensive to manufacture compared to devices generally known within the art.

In brief, the recessed spot light fixture of my present invention includes a housing having an opening at one side, preferably with a radially extending flange around .the opening. The housing is preferably cylindrical; and

when installed in ceilings is installed with the closed end of the housing upward. Installation in an existing ceiling, or wall, is made through an opening cut in the ceilat nt ice ing; and tabs pierced in the sidewall of the housing, may

be bent outwardly and secured to the concealed or inner surface of the ceiling to hold the housing in place. Other mounting means may be used if desired. A conventional splice box is mounted on the closed end of the housing; and a front assembly is removably attached to the housing at the open end by any suitable means to cover the opening in the housing.

The front assembly includes a face plate with a circular opening provided centrally of the face plate and a short sleeve that extends upwardly around the opening is fitted interiorly with a lining of felt or similar resilient material which is formed so as to receive therein and fit snugly around the periphery of a spheroidal shell or cup-shaped member which is open at its lower side and serves as a support for a lamp socket. The socket is mounted on the top wall of the support and interiorly thereof so that the downwardly facing opening in the shell serves by virtue of its size, to restrict the cone of light rays from a lamp in the socket.

The spheroidal lamp holder is larger in diameter than the opening in the face plate and is held upwardly therein by means of a pair of bearing members mounted externally of the spheroidal socket support and bear-ing against inner or upper surfaces on the face plate. These two members are at substantially diametrically opposite positions. More specifically, these members are, in a preferred embodiment, a stud or the like which tracks on the upper edge of the sleeve and a wire spring which slidably bears upon the upper surface of the face plate about and adjacent the sleeve. Forcing the shell member downwardly against the springs allows the opposite stud to become disengaged from the sleeve and allows the lamp supporting shell to be removed from the face plate by passing through the opening therein.

Certain variations in the embodiment shown herein, as well as additional objects of the invention, will become apparent from the following description together with the references contained therein to the drawing, of which:

FIG. 1 is a median sectional view taken vertically of a recessed lighting fixture constructed according to my invention, showing the device as it appears when installed in an opening in a ceiling.

FIG. 2 is a horizontal cross sectional view showing the fixture as seen along the line indicated by the arrows 2-2 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view on the line 3-3 in FIG. 2 to show one side of the spheroidal lamp holding member with the spring bearing member.

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of a recessed lighting fixture of my invention, with the ceiling structure shown sectionally, and engaged by tabs bent out, the range of adjustment possible by movement of the spheroidal lamp "holder being indicated diagrammatically.

Referring now to FIG. 1, the recessed fixture of my invention is indicated generally by the numeral 10. It is seen that the principal elements of the device are a main housing 11, splice box 12, face plate 13 supported by mounting brackets 14, a spheroidal shell 15 serving as a socket support and lamp shade, and lamp socket 16.

The main housing .11 is preferably cylindrical though, the invention is not necessarily limited thereto, and is closed at its upper end by wall 17 which has an opening through which the terminal fitting 18 passes. The housing is open at its lower end 19 and is provided circumferentially thereof with an outwardly extending flange A plurality of tab portions 21 in FIG. 1 are pierced in the sidewall of the housing 11. Each of the tabs is perforated as indicated at 23, and is scored transversely to facilitate bending it outwardlyof the housing along a horizontal line which brings the tab into contact with the concealed or upper side of the ceiling in the manner clearly illustrated in FIG. 4, when flange bears against the exposed face of the ceiling. In new construction in which structural members, as ceiling joists or braces, are provided adjacent the housing, mounting straps may be used. Such straps are fastened, at their ends to the structural members and are indicated in phantom at 24 in FIG. 2. They are described in greater detail in patent 2,642,241 issued June 16, 1953 to Ralph Pryne. In the latter instance, the tabs 21 usually are not bent outwardly and remain in substantial alignment with the housing sidewall. Each strap 24 passes through a pair of side wall apertures 26, shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4. Tabs 25 lanced from the side Wall of the housing and offset inwardly therefrom engage one of a series of notches in one side of each mounting strap to lock the housing in place on the straps 24.

The splice box 12, best seen in FIGS. 1 and 4, is of any suitable design and is provided with knock-outs" to receive a connector fitting such as 29 in FIG. 4 on electrical conduit or cable, and has opposite side panels 30 and 31 which are removed by loosening the screws 32.

The face plate 13 conforms to the shape of the open end of housing 11 and hence is circular in outline in this preferred embodiment. It extends laterally beyond the edge of the flange 20 to engage the ceiling and is preferably contoured concavo-convexly so that its convexity will allow for irregularities in the ceiling surface adjacent the aperture therein. Centrally of the face plate 13 a circular opening 13:: is provided around which an integral flange provides a short sleeve 33 that extends upwardly at the concave or upper side of the plate in the manner clearly shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. Afiixed interiorly of the sleeve 33 is a band 34 of flexible cushioning material which is adapted in cross sectional form to provide an interiorly arcuate concave conformation adapted to receive therein and fit snugly against the surface of the spheroidal shell 15.

The cup-like shell 15 serves both as a mounting means and support for lamp socket 16 and as a shade for light bulb 35, shown in FIG. 1 as mounted in the socket. The socket support and shade 15 might be best described as a spheroidal cup, closed at one end by wall 36 and open at the other end at 37. The wall 36 at the closed end and the perimeter of the opening 37 preferably, though not necessarily, lie in spaced parallel planes. The closed end 36 is perforated centrally to permit interconnection by any suitable means of the lamp receiving portion of the socket 16 located interiorly of the cup with the terminal portion 38 of the socket outside of the cup. Conductors 39 and 40 extend upwardly from the socket to terminal 18 from which conductors 39a and 40a extend into the splice box 12. 7

As can be clearly seen in FIGS. 1 and 3, the spheroidal sidewall 41 of the cup-like lamp shade 15 is larger in diameter than the circular opening defined by lining 34 interiorly of the sleeve 33. The center of curvature of the spheroidal wall is located at 410 which is preferably below or outside of face plate 13, but more particularly is below liner 34. Thus the shell cannot be passed through the opening defined by the liner. The particular means for movably supporting the shell 15 and socket 16 within the face plate 13 constitutes one of the novel features of the present invention.

At one side of shell 15 and exteriorly thereof is a bearing member consisting of a stud or the like conveniently provided by the shank of shouldered screw 42 which extends outwardly from the spheroidal sidewall 41. A sheet metal type lock nut 43 on screw 42 inside the shell holds the screw in place. The screw 42 is adapted to 4 bear against and slide upon an upper surface of face plate 13 defined by the upper edge, indicated at 44 in FIG. 1, of the sleeve 33. On the shade 15 at a position substantially diametrically opposite screw 42, a second screw 45 extends outwardly from the sidewall 41 and in a direction generally opposite to the screw 43. Pivotally mounted on screw 45 is a wire spring member, designated generally by 46, which is shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 to comprise a central coiled section 47 having one or more turns similar to a conventional compression spring, the coiled section terminating in downwardly and laterally disposed, oppositely extending end sections 48. The curved end sections bear upon and slide circumferentially of the upper surface of the face plate 13 around and adjacent the sleeve 33.

Screw 45, as illustrated in FIG. 1, is threadedly engaged with sidewall 41 and is held in place by a sheet metal type lock nut on the screw inside the shell. Though optional, a sleeve 52 may be mounted on the shank of screw 45 with the turns of spring coil 47 on the sleeve to insure freedom of movement of the spring. Pivotal movement of the shell 15 about a horizontal axis lying substantially in the plane of FIG. 1 is permitted by the flexible or yielding nature of the spring sections 48 hearing on the upper surface of plate 13. Sleeve 52 preferably has a shoulder to keep the turns of coil 47 adjacent the head of screw 45 but without bending the turns to interfere with movement of the spring.

As will be understood from the foregoing, and as further illustrated in the schematic diagram of FIG. 4, the support provided by the stud 42 and the spring 46 permits tilting movement of shell 15 about a horizontal axis through a total are of about sixty degrees more or less, indicated by the are 51 denoting the displacement of the shell axis by an angle of thirty degrees, more or less,

from the vertical axis VV as shown in FIG. 4. R0- tational movement of the shell 15 in either direction about the vertical axis VV is possible as indicated by the arrows 54 through an arc of 360 degrees less the width of the stop 53 which limits the rotational movement of the shell by engaging stud 42 as indicated in broken lines at 42L and 42R.

The tilting movement away from the vertical as illustrated in FIG. 4 is confined generally to one plane; but the position of that plane can be changed by rotation of shell 15 around vertical axis VV. Hence by a combination of the rotational and tilting movements the cone of light issuing frorn opening 37 can be directed toward any selected position over a wide area. In any selected position the friction between the exterior surface of the shell and lining 34 holds the shell in place, yet the position of shade can be changed readily by simple manual adjustment.

The stop 53 is provided to prevent inadvertent continued rotation of the shell and socket assembly in one direction with possible consequent damage to the lead wires 39 and 40.

As has been explained, the spheroidal shade 15 is supported within and by the face plate 13. The latter, in turn, is movably supported by a pair of identical straplike brackets 14 slidable axially of the housing in op positely disposed channels 56.

Below the channels 56 adjacent the open end 19 of the housing 11, the tips of slides 14 are turned inwardly as clearly shown at 57 in FIG. 3. The opposing tip ends 57 of the slides are inserted in holes in the upwardly extending legs of brackets 58 mounted on the upper side of face plate 13. In FIG. 3 one bracket 58 is combined with stop 53, described above, to provide a single member in the interest of economical fabrication.

The slides 14 are normally held upwardly within the housing 11 by a pair of wire springs 60, each having a central loop 61 engaged by a tab 62 lanced from the side of aslide 14. The ends of the spring terminate in end loops, 63 and 64 which are engaged respectively by tabs 65 and 66 lanced in and offset inwardly from the sidewall of the housing 11.

When the face plate '13 is drawn downwardly the brackets 14 slide through the channels 56, and the central portions of the two springs 60 move downwardly in the direction of the arrows 67 until the face plate 13 is moved to and held outwardly in the extended position indicated in phantom at 13E in FIG. 1. The structure of this means for mounting the face plate on the housing is more fully described and claimed in Patent No. 2,869,908 issued January 20, 1959, to Harold H. Ford for Cover Attaching Assembly and is merely typical of the mounting means that may be used to attach face plate 13 to the housing.

The spheroidal shade 15 may be removed from the face plate 13 by exerting downward pressure as indicated by the arrow 68 on the side of the shade 15 adjacent the spring 46, thereby flattening and laterally extending the spring ends 48 and rotating the shade 15 clockwise of the position in which it is shown in FIG. 1 until sleeve 52 contacts the upper edge of the sleeve 33. At this point the head of stud 42 has been moved inwardly of the sleeve 33, and the shell may be withdrawn downwardly through the face plate 13 by movement indicated by arrow 69 at the side away from the spring 46 until stud 42 clears the face plate, after which the spring 46 may be withdrawn downwardly through the opening in the face plate.

In applications in which it is desired that the light source be hidden, the shade is formed entirely of black opaque material so that no reflection of the light rays is visible around the inner periphery of the light emitting aperture..37, and for installations in which a maximum of light, both scattered and concentrated is desired, I prefer to form the shade of translucent material.

From the foregoing description it will be understood that I have provided by my invention a recessed spot lighting fixture which can be installed conveniently in existing structures without any major alternations therein, and which is provided with integral means for attaching the fixture to a ceiling.

It will also be understood from the foregoing that by my invention I have provided a recessed spot lighting fixture which may be used in remodeling existing structures, and also is provided with guide and fastening means making it equally well adapted for use in new construction.

Further apparent from the foregoing is the fact that I have provided a device of the character indicated which may be installed and connected with no access to the space above the ceiling other than the aperture through which the device is installed and which, being completely disassemblable, may be installed piece by piece in conformance with the completion of successive steps in the building construction sequence.

It will additionally be seen from the foregoing specification that I have prow'ded a spot lighting device of the character described which provides complete accessibility for purposes of repair, cleaning and electrical inspection by virtue of its extendable face plate and removable lamp shade and socket assembly.

It will be understood also from the foregoing that I have provided a recessed spot lighting device which permits movement of the lamp shade and socket support about vertical and horizontal axes, so that by combining the movements the light cone may be directed at any locality within a wide area. The selected position is maintained by frictional means and can be changed at will.

Although for the purpose of the present application I have illustrated and described my present invention in the form of a single embodiment, it is to be understood that various changes in the specific construction or location of certain elements of a recessed spot lighting fixture embodying the improvements of the present invention may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly it is to be understood that the foregoing specification and description are regarded as being illustrative of, rather than limitative upon, the appended claims.

I claim: 7

1. In a lighting fixture, the combination of a housing having an opening therein with a front assembly at said opening located externally of the housing to cover said opening and means removably' attaching the front assem bly to the housing in which the front assembly comprises:

a face plate having a circular opening therein;

a cup-shaped shell having a spheroidal side wall located with-in the circular opening, said shell being adapted to support a lamp socket interiorly of said shell;

and mounting means for the shell comprising a pair of bearing members attached externally to the shell at diametrically opposite positions and bearing against inner surfaces of the face plate to prevent the shell from passing through the circular opening while being movable over said inner surfaces to permit rotation of the shell about the axis of the circular opening and also tilting motion of the the shell about a transverse axis substantially at to the axis of said opening.

2. In a lighting fixture as in claim 1 the front assembly that also includes an annular flange around the circular openingand against the edge of which one of the bearing members bears.

3. In a lighting fixture as in claim 2 the front assembly in which said one bearing member is a shouldered screw.

4. In a lighting fixture as in claim 2 the front assembly that also includes a yielding member interposed between the annular flange and the shell and frictionally engaging the latter to hold the shell in adjusted positions.

5. In a lighting fixture as in claim 1 the front assembly in which one of the bearing members is a resilient member bearing at two positions against the inner surface of the face plate.

6. A lighting fixture as in claim 1 in which the maximum diameter of the shell is located outside the face plate.

7. In a recessed lighting fixture, the combination comprising:

a main housing having an open side and normally disposed in space with said open side facing downwardly;

a face plate having a circular aperture therein and being removably attached to said housing, and having a sleeve portion surrounding said aperture;

a cup-shaped shade having a spheroidal sidewall open at its lower side and adapted to fit within said sleeve with out passing therethrough;

a lamp socket within said shade;

and stud and spring support means afi'ixed to said shade and bearing against upper surfaces of the face plate to hold said shade with its open side downwardly and in peripheral abutment with the inner surface of said sleeve, said shade being rotationally movable relative to the face plate about a vertical axis and a generally horizontal axis.

8. A recessed spot lighting fixture, comprising:

a cylindrical housing having an open end with a flanged portion radially extended circumferentially thereof;

a plurality of tab portions formed in the circumferential sidewall of said housing adjacent the open end thereof, said tab portions being extendable outwardly of said housing into substantial parallel relationship with said flanged portion;

a circular face plate having a circular aperture therein and a sleeve portion extended upwardly circumferentially of said aperture, said face plate being movably attached at opposite sides to said housing;

a cup-shaped lamp shade having a lamp socket mounted on the closed end of the shade and having a spheroidal sidewall adapted to fit within said circular sleeve without passing therethrough, and being held upwardly therein -on one side by a stud resting on the upward edge of said sleeve, and on the other side by a stud supported wire ,springhaving spaced ends bearing on the inner surface of [said face plate, said stud and spring being eifectivet to permit rotation of said shade in a vertical plane, and in a horizontal plane relative to the axis of said housing.

9. In a recessed spot light fixture having aface plate with a circular aperture therein, means for rotatably supporting a cup-shaped spheroidal lamp shade in said aperture, comprising:

a cylindrical sleeve extended upwardly circumferentially of said aperture in said face plate;

a sleeve lining defining a band of yielding material disposed interiorly of said sleeve and being arcuately formed interiorly to receive therein and mate with the spherical periphery of said shade;

a pair of stud members mounted on the shade at diametrically opposite positions and extending outwardly from said shade, one of said stud members, being adapted to bear upon the upward edge of said sleeve;

a spring member pivotally attached to the other of said stud members, said spring having downwardly and laterally disposed spaced ends adapted to bear and slide freely upon the upper surface of said face plate circumferen tially of said sleeve;

said stud and spring being cooperatively adapted to permit rotation of said shade relative to the axes of said stud members and to permit axial rotation of said shade relative to said sleeve.

10. In a recessed light fixture, means for supporting a cup-shaped spheroidal lamp shade and socket assembly in acircular aperture in the face plate of a fixture comprising the combination of:

a cylindrical sleeve section extended inwardly of said fixture and circumferentially of said circular aperture, the inner surface of said sleeve being formed in the manner of a circumferential section of the surface of a sphere, and said sleeve and circular aperture being of lesser diameter than the major diameter of said spheroidal shade;

a pair of stud members extending generally oppositely and outwardly away from the spheroidal surface of said shade, one of said stud members being adapted to bear upon the upward edge of said sleeve;

a resilient wire spring pivotally attached to the other of said stud members, said spring having downwardly and oppositely extended end portions adapted to bear and slide upon the inner surface of said face plate circumferentially of said sleeve section therein.

11. The combination set forth in claim 9 additionally characterized by stop means aflixed to said fixture adapted to limit the movement of said stud circumferentially of the upward edge of said sleeve and prevent the continued rotation in one direction of said shade relative to the axis of said sleeve section.

No references cited. 

